Jakarta (ANTARA) - Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali has offered words of encouragement to 128 national e-sports athletes who are currently undergoing training for the 31st Hanoi Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).
The SEA Games will take place from May 12–23 this year.
"When you were invited to join the national training center, you must have known that you have a mission to make more than 270 million Indonesians proud of our e-sports achievement," he remarked at Jeep Station Indonesia, Mega Mendung Sub-district, Bogor District, on Monday.
He assured that the ministry will continue to support the development of e-sports in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, daily chairman of Indonesian E-sports Executive Board (PBESI), Bambang Sunarwibowo, said that PBESI has carried out several coaching programs, as well as established an e-sports academy and the national training center.
"There are also various competitions, such as Student Cup, College Student Cup, League 1, and League 2, as well as other programs coordinated with the International E-sports Federation," he added.
Head of the national e-sports team, Ibnu Riza, said that the team has prepared more for the 31st Hanoi SEA Games compared to the 2019 Philippines SEA Games in which Indonesia secured two silver medals.
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"We have prepared the physical, mentality, and nutrition aspects of the players. We are very confident and optimistic that we will bag gold medals at the 31st Hanoi SEA Games," he affirmed.
The national training program will be divided into two stages. The first stage will take place from March 1–10, 2022, and focus on selecting and training 66 members of the national e-sports contingent, he informed.
Meanwhile, the national team manager, Erlangga Putra, said that the second stage, which will be implemented from April 17–30, 2022, will focus on strengthening the mentality of the athletes, he said.
"The physical (fitness) and mentality of the players are much more important to be improved since the tournament will drain their energy and emotions," he added.
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